CzechSite: Shopping Around

Places to Shop

The social life in Prague is still concentrated in the city center. So the best shopping is right there. There are a lot of small and often quaint shops on every street especially in Old Town. You will have a chance to buy there souvenirs, hand cut glass, bohemian garnet or jewels. Just walk and watch around. Oh, one more thing, it is not a custom to haggle the price in Czech, price on tag is always fixed even in the stalls.

If you prefer to shop in one place go inside some shopping mall or department store in the city center or drive to some hypermarket in suburb:

Shopping Malls

If you would prefer shopping around in the shopping mall go to:

Shopping Mall Black Rouse (Cerna Ruze)
This three floor shopping mall is located just in the city center in two historical passages and several buildings. It is the best accessible from Na Prikope 12 or from Panska 4. It is just next to Wenceslas Square.

Shopping Mall New Angel (Novy Andel)
This new shopping mall is the largest one in the city center now. In fact it is not right in the historical city center but let's say it is still in the city center, easy accessible from metro station Andel, which is 5 minutes from Wenceslas Square. There are a lot of shops and stores, a couple of cafes and bars, one hyper market, and even the new multi screen movie theater. There is also huge parking in the basement.

Shopping Mall Vinohrady Pavilion (Vinohradsky Pavilon)
This former historical market hall was reconstructed into nice shopping mall several years ago. It is nice to sit in the cafe in atrium and wait your partner finishing her shopping :-) The pavilion is located on the corner Vinohradska and Budecska, 10 minutes walking distance from Wenceslas Square.

Shopping Mall Myslbek
This small shopping mall is located in modern building just in the opposite of Cerna Ruze shopping mall. It is accessible from street Na Prikope or from the square Uhelny Trh.

Most of the shops in shopping malls are usually open from 9 am to 8 pm on weekdays and from 10 am to 6 pm on weekends.

Department Stores

Ten or fifteen years ago there were no shopping malls in Prague and people usually went for shopping to the department stores. Of course the department stores are still there, right in the city center:

Kotva, Namesti republiky 8
Tesco, Narodni 26
Bila Labut, Na Porici 23
Krone, corner of Wenceslas Square and Jindrisska

Hypermarkets

Some huge hypermarkets were open in Prague suburbs in last few years. Locals usually drive there once a week for a big shopping.

Shopping Center Zlicin
hypermarket Tesco, Ikea, hypermarket Globus, Electro World and some small stores
Shopping Center Letnany
hypermarket Tesco and some small stores
Shopping Center Cerny Most
hypermarket Globus and some small stores

What to Buy

After economic changes in 1989, imports carry Western European goods and prices. But Czech products are still cheap for Westerners. Visitors usually buy hand cut crystal or bohemian garnet, besides common tourist stuff like souvenirs, books, music, marionette etc.

Books

Books are an easy gift or souvenir. Many shops stock an excellent reference or photography books on Prague and the Czech Republic. The best bookstores are located in the city center:

Book House (Dum knihy)
Wenceslas Square 4
This five floor bookstore is the biggest one in the country. Shopping there is very pleasant, there is even cafe. It is open daily till 8 pm.

Book Palace Luxor
Wenceslas Square 41
This new four floor bookstore was open in August 2002. It is usually crowded but shopping is still nice. There is cafe. It is open weekdays till 8 pm, weekends till 7 pm.

Academia Bookstore
corner of Wenceslas Square and Vodickova
This two floor bookstore has a small cafe.

Kanzelsberger
Wenceslas Square 42
Nice place for shopping books especially in the basement.

Krakatit Bookstore
Jungmanova 14
Very special place for buying sci-fi, fantasy and comics. You can meet there some people oriented like this.

Kiwi Bookstore
Jungmanova 23
Special place for buying maps and tour guides for your trip to the whole world.

Music

Good buys are classical CDs of the works of Czech composers (Dvorak, Smetana, Martinu, Janacek) as well as folk music brass band (dechovka). You can get CD at any bookstore and many other stores in the city center. If you have problems finding anything specific, try some Music department stores:

Popron, Jungmanova 30
Bonton, Wenceslas Square 1

Glass and Crystal

One of the Prague's best buys is Bohemian Crystal, usually hand cut one. It is sold at many places in the city center and prices are not radically different from shop to shop. Some of the shops are even able to ship abroad.

Souvenirs

Visitors usually look for painted marionettes, wood toys, ceramic ware with traditional design, Easter eggs, drawings, paintings and photographs of the city. You will find many stores selling this stuff along the most heavily touristed places. Do not afraid, you will not miss it (in fact they will not miss you :-) A few stalls still even sell Soviet military parephernalia and matryoshka dolls. One of the best place for buying t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, toys and postcards is located in Husova 1.

Antiques and Artwork

Be careful when you buy antique or museum quality art. You will probably have a trouble with the customs on the way out. In general, everything made before 1920 may be non-exportable.